Watermill's SUNSET BOULEVARD to Close in West End May 30

The current London production of Sunset Boulevard at the West End's intimate Comedy Theatre has posted a closing notice for May 30, 2009. UK theatre sources are reporting that plans are in the works to launch a UK tour in early 2010 as well as some talk of bringing the production to New York, but no official announcement has yet been made. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical, which is based on Billy Wilder's Oscar-winning 1950 film, had been set to run until April 18th 2009, after opening in December 2008, but extended to June 27th, 2009. Sunset Boulevard recently opened new bookings for a second extension period, through Sept. 19th, which has now been scrapped.

This new production, which played a sell-out season at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury earlier this year, follows in the innovative and emotionally direct tradition of intimate productions using actor/musicians that has resulted in previous enormously successful transfers from the Watermill, including John Doyle's multi-award winning "Sweeney Todd".

The musical arranger of "Sweeney Todd", Sarah Travis, is the musical arranger for this production of "SUNSET BOULEVARD", which is directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, with design by Diego Pitarch, lighting by Richard G. Jones and sound by Gary Dixon. 

Based on Billy Wilder's 1950 Oscar-winning film of the same name, Sunset Boulevard depicts the faded glamour of the former Hollywood icon Norma Desmond, who's now living in isolation, with only memories for company. When struggling young screenwriter Joe Gillis appears at her crumbling mansion, she demands a second chance in the limelight.

Kathryn Evans and Ben Goddard reprise their roles as Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis, with former West End Phantom and Valjean, Dave Willetts starring as Desmond's servant, Max von Meyerling.

"SUNSET BOULEVARD" originally premiered in London at the Adelphi Theatre in 1993, where it ran for almost four years and played to nearly two million people. Based on Billy Wilder's classic film, "SUNSET BOULEVARD" has book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. 

Performances times for "SUNSET BOULEVARD" at the Comedy Theatre are Mondays - Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets, priced from £10 - £55, are available from the Comedy Theatre Box Office on 0870 060 6637 or at www.sunsetlondon.com.  

The Watermill Theatre production of "SUNSET BOULEVARD" is produced in London by Howard Panter for the Ambassador Theatre Group Limited, Tulchin/Bartner Productions and Bill Kenwright Ltd.

The new small-scale production of Sunset Boulevard, which had a sell-out season at the Watermill in Newbury this summer, is directed and choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood. Sarah Travis also collaborated with John Doyle on previous Watermill actor-musician productions of Mack and Mabel, Gondoliers and Sweeney Todd, all of which had West End runs. The last also transferred to Broadway, where Travis became the first woman to win the Tony Award for Best Orchestration (in 2006).

Photo Credit: Robert Day